FANTASY FOOTBALL IN-SEASON FEATURES

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Prediction: PHI 13, DAL 34 (LINE: DAL by 9)

Players Updated: DeMarco Murray, Felix Jones, Miles Austin

Players to Watch: Bryce Brown

This is a replay of week 10 when the Cowboys won 38-23 in Dallas. The Cowboys are coming off their embarrassing loss on Thanksgiving while the Eagles just dropped their seventh straight game in this, their nightmare season.

Pregame Notes: By this point, it is like watching a boxing match and the Eagles just made that turn where the legs wobble and you just know the end is near and there is no way they are coming back and this is not going to end with a TKO. It is going to be a face-first dead-fall to the canvas and then carried away. The Eagles just lost DeSean Jackson for the rest of the year with broken ribs. The offense is sputtering like you filled the car with gas you bought from some guy off the street for $1 a gallon. But none of that really matters anyway because the once-vaunted Eagles defense has allowed at least 28 points to each of the last five opponents. It is like they left on their week seven bye and just never returned.

Michael Vick is no lock to return this week and has not passed all his concussion tests. He'll be monitored this week and updated if warranted but even if healthy he may not play because the Eagles want to see what Nick Foles can do so they know just how much of the roster they have to burn to the ground and start over. In his second start, Foles only passed for only 119 yards against the Panthers with no scores.

LeSean McCoy is unlikely to play this week since his concussion is even worse than Vick's and Bryce Brown was great on Monday night. He rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries and added four receptions for 11 yards. He ran with a lot more power than any Eagle's back in a long time. In week 10, McCoy gained 82 yards on 16 runs against the Cowboys.

All bets are off in the passing game. The Cowboy have a very good secondary that plays even better at home. And even better when at home against a passing attack that has all but evaporated. The loss of DeSean Jackson won't be felt too much because so little was happening anyway. Damaris Johnson and Riley Cooper gets more playing time but Jeremy Maclin is left behind as the only reasonable fantasy play and even he only ended with 55 yards on five catches on Monday as the lead receiver. Maclin did manage a team high eight catches for 93 yards and one score against the Cowboys in week ten. That seems astronomic now given what the offense has evolved into being.

Bryce Brown is really the only decent fantasy start left remaining. Maclin may be okay but there is more risk than reward. Playing in Dallas against a desperate Cowboys is not likely going to witness any turnaround.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
QB Michael Vick, PHI	@NYG	30	1	0	0	0	260	1	2
Nick Foles heads to IR with a broken hand, putting Vick back in the driver's seat. He threw for 241 and 1 in the earlier meeting with the Giants, mixing in 49 rushing yards as well; look for him to build on those numbers in this audition for whatever team he'll be quarterbacking in 2013. And since Vick is most impressive when running the ball, a rushing score wouldn't surprise this week--nor would a bigger yardage total, seeing as similarly mobile RG3 took the Giants for 161 yards in two games.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
RB LeSean McCoy, PHI	@NYG	90	1	5	30	0	0	0	0
McCoy's 122 combo yards last week certainly suggest he's back to full go, which is especially good news this week seeing as he rushed for 123 yards in the earlier meeting with the Giants. And considering New York allowed two 100-yard rushers last week alone, McCoy should be in line for another productive outing.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Jeremy Maclin, PHI	@NYG	0	0	6	70	1	0	0	0
DeSean Jackson inflicted the damage in the earlier meeting with the Giants while Maclin was held to one catch for seven yards, but DJax ain't around this time and Maclin has been Philly's go-to guy over the past month. Michael Vick knows where to find him as well, so expect Maclin to lead the charge in Philly's passing game this week.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Jason Avant, PHI	@NYG	0	0	4	60	0	0	0	0
Avant has double-digit targets in two of the last three games, stepping up in the absence of DeSean Jackson. Jackson was Philly's go-to guy in the earlier meeting with the Giants, so if they focus on shutting down Jeremy Maclin again it could be a nice opportunity for Maclin. Even if Avant plays wingman, a date with a Giants' secondary that's allowed 20 WR TDs on the year and six wideouts to top 74 yards in the past month should provide reasonably lucrative.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Riley Cooper, PHI	@NYG	0	0	2	20	0	0	0	0
Cooper's contributions have been too inconsistent to trust with a fantasy start.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
TE Brent Celek, PHI	@NYG	0	0	5	50	0	0	0	0
Celek had a comfort level with Michael Vick earlier in the season, including 57 yards in the previous meeting with the Giants. Big Blue has allowed 170 yards and a TD to the position over the past three games, so Celek certainly feels in line for another solid yardage game with the possibility of a score.

	Opp	fga	FGM	xpa	XPM	ConFac
K Alex Henery, PHI	@NYG	2	1	3	3
Henery has multiple field goals in two straight and five of the last six, and he booted a season-high four treys in the previous meeting with the Giants. New York has allowed multiple field goals in three straight, a total of eight in that span. So maybe Henery sends Andy Reid out not with a bang but with a bunch of field goals.

Pregame Notes: The Cowboys 2012 season is shaping up to be about the same as any recent year with high expectations met with inconsistency and eventual disappointment when reality replaces optimism. At least for fantasy purposes, three of the next four games will be in Dallas where they tend to score better. Week 16 hosting the Saints could see more than a few championships be won with Dallas players.

Tony Romo comes off his best game of the year when he passed for 441 yards and three scores on the visiting Redskins and very nearly mounted a record-setting comeback. Romo will throw a score in every game but until last week there were only three other times that he threw for more than one score. His yardage remains high in most games but the scoring just has not been there. He threw for 209 yards and two scores in the last Philly game - his lowest yardage of the year.

DeMarco Murray's been out since week six and his return is still not certain. His foot continues to be a problem that prevents him from playing. In the meantime, Felix Jones is filling in as the starter and getting banged up and worn down because he's just not capable of a heavy load. Last week he was down to only six carries for 14 yards hobbled on two sore knees though he did catch three passes for 47 yards and a score. Surprisingly, one of his best games of the year was when he ran for 71 yards on 16 carries and added a score on his three catches for 22 yards in Philadelphia.

Miles Austin injured his hip against the Redskins and left during the first quarter. His status this week will be clearer once practices are held and he will be updated as warranted. Austin only caught two passes for 32 yards in Philly while Dez Bryant ended with 87 yards on five receptions and one score. Bryant is being targeted a ridiculous amount in recent weeks and was thrown 26 passes in just the last two games. He's scored in each of the last three games and posted exactly 145 yards in each of the last two matchups. Cole Beasley filled in for Austin last Thursday and produced a career best seven catches for 68 yards.

The Eagles are beyond reeling with seven losses in a row and now lost DeSean Jackson too. Both Vick and McCoy may not play. This is likely the final chance for the Cowboys to have a big win.

Have to like the chance for a defensive score in this game.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
QB Tony Romo, DAL	@WAS	0	0	0	0	0	320	2	2
Romo has been less effective in road games but the WAS defense is plenty bad against the pass. This will turn into a shootout at some point and Romo should be a lock for high yardage and a couple of scores. He already posted 441 yards and 3 scores on them in week 12.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
RB DeMarco Murray, DAL	@WAS	50	0	4	30	0	0	0	0
Murray has not been a great runner this year but he adds in four catches per week. He's less likely to score this week though and Jones took his place in week 12 with only 14 rushing yards on the day. Murray is still worth a start as a RB2 or RB3 fro his potential but most likely he's only in for a moderate yardage game at best.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Dez Bryant, DAL	@WAS	0	0	6	100	1	0	0	0
Bryant has already scored in each of the last seven games and ended with 8-145 and two scores on the Skins in week 12. He's a must start going against a very suspect defense.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
WR Miles Austin, DAL	@WAS	0	0	4	60	0	0	0	0
Austin was held to no catches in the last meeting with the Skins but should improve this week in this must-win matchup. He's still outside of fantasy relevance in a season finale game.

	Opp	RuYD	RuTD	Rec	ReYD	ReTD	PaYD	PaTD	Int	ConFac
TE Jason Witten, DAL	@WAS	0	0	8	70	1	0	0	0
Witten is always a must-start and already posted 9-74 on the Skins in week 12. He's a top pick each week.

	Opp	fga	FGM	xpa	XPM	ConFac
K Dan Bailey, DAL	@WAS	3	3	2	2
Bailey is never more than an average start.

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